Gemotions

She stretched languidly on her bed, basking in the afternoon sun that streamed through the window. Her roommate, Olivia, was glued to her computer screen, her face a mask of concentration. Sarah knew better. She knew about Olivia's secret crush on a certain professor, her insecurities about her weight, and her occasional bouts of crippling self-doubt.

She flipped through a magazine, glancing up every few seconds to assess Olivia's reaction. It was a delicious game, this little dance of deception.

"Working hard?" she asked, her voice smooth. Olivia jumped, startled. Sarah suppressed a smile. She closed her journal and placed it in the drawer under her bed.